Things Change
by Ach13
Summary: Sequel to "Yin Yang Effect." Five years have passed since Sunako left Kyohei at the gate in the airport. Things have changed drastically since then. Miss Nakahara decides to throw a reunion for the group. Full summary inside.
1. Not So Happy Reunions

Summary: Five years have passed since Sunako left Kyohei at the gate in the airport. Things have changed drastically since then. No one lives in the beautiful Nakahara mansion anymore and no one is really, truly happy. When Miss Nakahara decides to throw a reunion for the group, Sunako and Kyohei will be forced to meet face to face one last time. But can these two wayward lovers get over their pride long enough to take their last chance at happiness? Here it is! You asked and you shall recieve! Find out what happens in this exciting sequel to the _Yin Yang Effect. _

_A/N: _Sorry, I've been watching too much DBZ and the announcer voice won't get out of my head. -_-'

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"Kyohei!"

"Kyohei, wait!"

The cries of his friends went unheard as he shoved his clothes into his backpack. He didn't know what he was doing. He just had to get out.

They banged their fists against his door in desperation.

"It's okay, you can go after her!" Yuki's voice said.

Go after who? His world was gone.

"Yeah, we'll support you!" Ranmaru added.

_'There's nothing to support.'_

"Kyohei, please open the door." Takenaga begged.

Kyohei did just that, but not upon his friends' orders. With cold and uncaring eyes, the walking knife brushed past them and headed for the stairs, gripping the strap of his backpack.

"Where are you going?" Noi demanded angrily. "You can't just leave!"

He looked at them from over his shoulder, his eyes like ice.

"Watch me."

He walked down the steps towards the front door, his friends hot on his trail.

"Where are you going to go?" Takenaga asked. His question was ignored. "Kyohei!"

He pulled open the door, brushing their hands off as they tried to hold him back.

"You can't go! Sunako needs you!" Yuki pleaded.

Kyohei turned his icy gaze onto the smaller boy, slamming his fist into Yuki's face. The boy fell to the ground in shock, nose bleeding. Kyohei then turned and punched Ranmaru away, kicking Takenaga in the gut as Noi screamed. He would not be stopped.

"Goodbye." Was the only thing Kyohei said as he slammed the door, leaving behind his only friends, his only family, and his comfortable life behind.

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The years moved by swiftly, too fast for him to keep up, almost as though he were watching it all in a haze. The rundown little apartment felt empty and lonely, yet he didn't seem to care. It was a place to sleep, where he could sleep for free so long as he did chores for the kindly old lady, whom he dubbed "Gramma Cougar."

He would chop up the wood for her fire and carry her groceries inside, doing his best to avoid her grabby little fingers that would pinch his rear every time he walked past. At this point, though, he found he couldn't care less about her. She was a harmless old woman, and so long as he ignored her, she wouldn't try anything. It was the other girls he worried about.

They would draw themselves closer to him, tracing their slim or pudgy fingers down his chest, whispering confessions that did nothing but get on his nerves. He showed them that as well, giving them what they wanted but in a way that would please him.

With his fists, he beat them, tore their clothes away and pounded his desires into them and when they asked why, he'd only reply, "That's what you wanted, right?"

He found he hated people; women especially. The men were not as bad around him, but every now and again, he would have to show his agitation with them in ways that would always land him in the county prison. Not an hour or so later, he'd be set free. After all, his looks were so great, he had to be telling the truth when he would say that he was just giving the tramps and dirtbags what they wanted.

Eventually, people stopped gravitating to him. The lawsuits stopped, thanks to Miss Nakahara's generous attempts at keeping him out of jail, where he'd most definitely be killed. The fangirls ran away from him in fear and everyone soon knew that Takano Kyohei was not one to be messed with anymore. Old friends and fans from school wondered about him, but deep down they all knew why he had changed.

He had truly loved Nakahara Sunako and would never love another.

Five long years passed in a bar, chugging down vodka, rum and sake, using only the money that Gramma Cougar would present him with for doing her chores. She kept him plenty fed, though he found that he was never hungry.

On the days he was sober, sort of, he would get visits from his old friends. He'd hear stories about their lives and how great things were turning out for them.

Takenaga had gotten into a good school, and was now studying business, in hopes of one day taking over his family business. He and Noi were still going strong and yet, to Kyohei's amusement, he had not yet worked up the courage to ask for Noi's hand in marriage.

Ranmaru had also gotten into a good school, studying business as well for the sake of his own family. After about two years of denying her, he had finally settled down and married the "Princess," Tamao. Kyohei thought he might have been at the wedding, but he was too drunk to remember. From what Ranmaru told him, however, he and Tamao were happy and pregnant with their first child. Kyohei couldn't remember when it was that Ranmaru had told him that, though.

Yuki was going to a state college, the best his own family could afford, and was currently studying to be a Child Therapist. His girlfriend, Machiko, had finally moved back to Japan and, according to Yuki, they were the happiest couple in the world.

But as soon as they voiced their concerns for him, he would open a bottle of whiskey and ask them to leave.

He was fine, right? He didn't even know anymore.

Every now and again, on his afternoon walks from one bar to the next, he'd pass by the old Nakahara mansion. He remembered it appearing older than it was before, vines growing up the sides of the walls. The gate was locked up tight. No one had lived there in around three years, he would guess, though he wasn't certain.

Some days, as he would down another shot of sake, he would wonder how all of this happened and why everything fell apart.

_'If I had only just said what I felt,'_ he would think to himself. _'then things wouldn't be the way they are.'_

He knew in his heart that it was true and that it was his entire fault. He let things fall apart, and every time he would come to that realization, he would down another bottle of vodka and stumbled back to his ratty, run-down old apartment, fall onto his futon and fall asleep, gripping a single picture of his once happy life, surrounded by friends with a certain, dark girl at his side.

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For the first time in years, the house seemed to come alive. Three young bishounen men swept and tidied up the place they had once lived in, laughing and reminiscing about old times. Three lovely young ladies worked in the kitchen, preparing appetizers and a meal for the event that was to come. Miss Nakahara herself watched over the entire thing, a proud smile on her face.

It had been five long years since she had seen the group together like this, in her little old mansion where she, herself, had spent many happy years with her Darling. Those days seemed like such a long time ago, and soon it seemed that the days she had sheltered four, beautiful boys and entrusted her beloved young niece to them were long in the past as well.

She longed for those happy days to return once again and so, as she sat sipping tea in her luxurious private jet, she formed a plan.

Reunite the lost souls under one roof once more.

Sebastian seemed to like the idea and even offered to personally go to visit her favorite bishounen men to tell them the good news. However, he only found three of the four, but that was good enough for her. She would find Kyohei at some point and would drag him to the reunion by his hair if she had to.

Sunako was easier to convince. Miss Nakahara simply insisted that she missed her favorite little niece and wanted to catch up back at the old mansion. The young woman had moved back to Japan about two years ago with her parents, and she was currently studying at a nice college to be a Forensic Pathologist, a career that Miss Nakahara was not entirely pleased with, truth be told. But at least Sunako had become a polite and lovely young lady, and that was all that Miss Nakahara wanted.

Now she eagerly awaited her niece's arrival, sitting on the nice couch in the living room, watching the young men as they finished their cleaning and sat down across from her on the opposite couch, laughing about something or another.

"Did you boys manage to get a hold of Kyohei?" She asked, effectively interrupting their conversation. They perked and looked at her with grim faces.

"Well, we haven't spoken to him in a little over a year," Takenaga said. "And he hasn't wanted to reconnect either."

"Yeah, when we tried to see him, he wouldn't answer the door." Yuki said, a small pout on his face.

Miss Nakahara nodded in understanding, sighing.

"We sent him an invitation, though." Yuki added. "With any luck, he'll come."

"Did you tell him that Sunako-Chan would be here?" She asked worriedly. If he knew, there's no doubt about it, he would never come then. The group shook their heads.

"We conveniently left that part out," Ranmaru laughed. "Though we did promise booze, so you never know. He just might show up."

Miss Nakahara shook her head at the man's attempt at humor and started to say something when the door bell went off. She stood up quickly and rushed to the door, smiling brightly.

"Sunako-Chan!" She exclaimed happily, pulling her niece into a tight hug. The girl in question wheezed a little, face turning blue.

"H-hello, Aunty." She breathed. The older woman pulled back after a moment, ushering her inside.

"Come in, come in before you catch your death of cold." She said. She smiled at Sebastian who bowed in greeting. Sunako pulled off her favorite knit hat, the one she had worn since her high school days, and took off her coat hanging them up beside the door. To say the men were surprised by her appearance would be an understatement.

She still wore black which, it seemed, would always remain her favorite color. But she wore a nice blue, v-neck long sleeved shirt, a silver cross necklace resting against her bosom; a long black skirt complete with black leggings and brown boots finished off the ensemble. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail with a skull and cross bone hair tie, and a skull bracelet adorned her wrist.

_'Some things will never change,'_ the boys seemed to think at the same time.

She blinked in surprise at the sight of the three bishounen men and then she shrunk back, shielding her face with a hiss.

"No! They've returned!" She cried out and room filled with laughter as the group rushed to hug her tightly.

"Sunako-Chan!" they said happily. "We've missed you!"

She groaned.

"The feeling's mutual, now get off of me." She demanded, pushing them away.

"Is that Sunako-Chan?"

She turned just in time to find Noi's arms wrapping around her, nearly tackling her to the ground.

"Oh, Sunako-Chan! You have no idea how lonely I've been, I've missed you so much!" Noi said, feeling tears gush out of her eyes. She pulled back a little to glare cutely at the dark girl. "Don't you EVER leave me again."

Sunako couldn't help it; she had to laugh as she hugged her old friend.

"Okay." She said. She pulled away to greet Tamao and Machiko with simple nods.

"It's nice to see you all again," She said, but then was instantly serious. "But what's going on?"

"It's a reunion." Miss Nakahara gushed. "Oh, it's just been so sad since everyone left, I thought it would be nice is you all were together again, even if it's just for the weekend."

"So then that would mean that _he's_ here, right?"

The group peered at her nervously.

"Who, Kyohei?" Yuki asked. Sunako didn't answer, she just stared hard at the group. "He's not here."

A tiny smile graced her face as she nodded.

"Okay, then." She said. The group beamed at her and she had to wince a little at the brightness of the room. Noi and Yuki grabbed her arms and pulled her into the living room, asking for all the details of her life. Miss Nakahara smiled at the sight but turned to look out the window, as though seeking someone.

"I guess he really isn't coming." She said with a sigh. She turned and joined the group, faking a smile.

_'My reunion isn't complete.'_

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The day was pretty much spent sharing stories and laughing about old times until dinner was served. They gathered around the table, laughing some more as they ate.

"Man, this food isn't nearly as good as Sunako-Chan's." Yuki complained, earning a slap from Noi and Machiko. He yelped and pouted. "What? It's true!"

Takenaga and Ranmaru laughed and nodded.

"We haven't had your cooking in so long," Ranmaru said. "You still cook right?"

Sunako nodded, smiling.

"I founded the cooking club at my university." She said simply.

"Have you ever considered just opening up a restaurant, Sunako-Chan?" Miss Nakahara asked. "It would be so much better than examining dead bodies for a living."

"Cooking is just a hobby, Aunty." Sunako said with a delighted grin. "And corpses are so beautiful, how can I not want to examine them all day?"

The group rolled their eyes.

"Same old Sunako." Yuki murmured, chuckling.

"Only much prettier." Ranmaru added.

"Well isn't this a perfect picture?"

The group looked up, startled to find Kyohei in the doorway to the dining room. It appeared he hadn't shaved in weeks and he wore an old, knit cap with an older coat. Underneath was a familiar red, yellow and green haramaki. It was old and faded and surprised even Sunako that he was still wearing it. His hair was a mess, longer and wilder, and heavy bags were underneath his eyes.

"Can't believe y'all started eating without me." He said bitterly as the group rushed up to hug him.

"Kyohei!" They cried.

"You're late!" Yuki exclaimed.

"It's good to see you again." Takenaga laughed, ruffling Kyohei's hair.

"When was the last time you took a bath?" Noi asked, disgusted.

Kyohei rolled his eyes and pushed them away.

"Y'all said there'd be booze?"

The group fell silent as he fell into a chair at the table. It was then that he noticed her.

Her violet eyes still made his heart leap in excitement and he found he couldn't look away. She was still just as beautiful as she was when she left him alone at the gate.

"Sunako…" He breathed, rubbing at his eyes incase it was some kind of cruel illusion. The girl in question found herself looking away, completely in shock.

'He's not…shining.' She thought, feeling her heart sting. What had happened to him since she left? 'Surely it's not because of me…right?'

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." He said coldly, calling for her attention again. He was scowling at her. "What, couldn't find a guy in Africa to break so you had to come back here?"

She frowned.

"Excuse me, but I'm here because Aunty asked me to be." She snapped. "I wasn't exactly expecting 'you' to be here either, you disgusting, foul creature of the light."

He snorted at that, reaching over to snatch a piece of her fried shrimp off of her plate.

"You certainly haven't changed; still just as big of a bitch as ever." He muttered to himself. She stood up with a growl forming in her chest.

"Keep your grimy hands away from my plate, you ass hole!" She shouted, the plate from the table and away from him. She turned on her friends. "You bastards lied to me, if I'd know he was going to be here, I never would have come."

She turned and walked off into the kitchen.

"Sunako-Chan, where-?" Miss Nakahara started.

"To eat in my room. Don't bother me." She shouted back.

Kyohei snorted again, tearing into the shrimp.

"So about that booze," he started, earning a heated glare from the group. Miss Nakahara rubbed wearily at her temples.

_'This is definitely not going as I had planned.'_


	2. Ice and Booze

_A/N:_ So sorry for the long wait, but here it is! The next chapter! Thank you for your patience! :D

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"Sunako-Chan," Noi begged, pounding her fist against her dark friend's door. "Please come out."

"Yeah, Sunako! We're sorry for not saying anything about Kyohei, but we didn't think that he'd even show up." Yuki added pathetically. There was no response behind the door and the group sighed wearily.

"So much for a fun weekend reunion…" Takenaga murmured, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "Come on, guys."

He turned and led the group back down the hallway to the living room.

"How could you be so foolish?"

A simultaneous shiver shot down their backs as they peered into the living room. Mine Nakahara glared daggers at the man who lounged lazily on the couch, sipping from a bottle of sake, seemingly unaffected by her ranting.

"All I wanted was a nice, friendly reunion and you come here _drunk_ off your ass, looking to start trouble with my beloved niece!" She screamed. Sebastian sighed, taking her by the crook of her arm and guiding her to a seat. She rubbed at the bridge of her nose, feeling as though she might have a migraine. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything?"

Kyohei absentmindedly sipped from his sake bottle, appearing uninterested.

"Nope. I hate self-righteous cunts like her. 'S all there is to it." He muttered. The Landlady growled and looked as if she were going to start shouting again when the others walked in. Takenaga, Yuki and Ranmaru offered Kyohei a smile.

"Now, now, let's just calm down." Takenaga said, sitting beside Kyohei. "We are so glad that you've joined us this weekend."

Ranmaru and Yuki nodded.

"Yeah, it wouldn't have been the same without you." Yuki said, grinning.

"It will be just like old times!" Ranmaru exclaimed, almost dreamily. Tamao offered her own smile as she came to sit with her husband, rubbing at her swollen belly. Noi rolled her eyes, sitting against the arm of the chair Takenaga occupied.

"Only if he can get that stick out of his ass long enough to make nice." She muttered. Kyohei turned his icy stare on the young woman, but said nothing. An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as they thought of what to say. Takenaga spoke first, slowly and cautiously, as though trying not to offend his old friend.

"We really are happy that you've decided to join us, Kyohei," He said. "But don't you think you should…ah…apologize to Sunako-Chan?"

Kyohei raised a brow before bursting out laughing.

"You've got to be fuckin' kidding me!" He exclaimed. "_Me_? Apologize to _her_?"

He was suddenly deathly serious as he glared at Takenaga.

"That's real cute." He said, venom dripping off of his words. "As if I'd apologize to that little, spoiled rich bitch."

Yuki, Ranmaru, Takenaga and Noi frowned at him.

"What the hell is your problem, anyway?" Noi snapped. "Sunako-Chan was getting along just fine until you showed up. Why are you even here?"

Kyohei smirked and pulled out a wadded up piece of parchment.

"You invited me, remember?" He said, taking another swig of his alcohol. Noi scowled.

"You are ruining this for everyone, you big, stupid jerk!" She shouted. "All you have to do is be _nice_ to her! It's not like you still have feelings for her or anything!"

That did it.

Kyohei stood, glaring viciously at the group as he snarled.

"If you wanted a nice, happy and tearful reunion, then you should have just _told_ me she was going to be here." He said, his voice low and menacing. His knuckles cracked as he gripped his hands into fists, nearly breaking the bottle in his left hand. He was shouting, now. "If you had just TOLD me she was going to be here, then I wouldn't have shown up to ruin your FUCKING reunion! So don't you start giving me shit about ruining your good time because it's YOUR fault that I'm here in the first place!"

He turned, then, and stumbled towards the door.

"And just _where_ do you think you're going?" Miss Nakahara said, standing from her seat.

"I'm goin' home." He growled. Miss Nakahara crossed her arms, scowling.

"No you're not." She said, looking to Sebastian. He nodded and started moving towards Kyohei. "You're so slobbering drunk that you can barely walk. Letting you go would be irresponsible. You're staying here."

"Like hell I am." Kyohei said, glaring at the older man, as if daring him to try. Sebastian didn't show any signs of fear as he grabbed the drunken man by the arm.

"Master Kyohei, if you would please follow me." He said calmly. Kyohei growled, tugging at his arm as he went to throw a sloppy punch to the butler's head. Sebastian merely side-stepped him, allowing Kyohei to fall flat on his face; he didn't get back up.

With the help of the boys, they managed to get the unconscious Kyohei up to his old room. After a moment, they rejoined the ladies in the living room, sighing heavily.

They were silent for a few moments, unsure of what to say.

"Was this really a good idea?" Miss Nakahara murmured, near tears. "All I wanted was to see you all smiling and happy again."

"Your heart was in the right place." Tamao said leaning against Ranmaru. All the stress wasn't good for her and the baby; she felt really tired because of it. The man, in turn, wrapped an arm around his wife and held her close, lightly patting her stomach.

"Yeah, and it seemed like a good idea at the time." He added, shaking his head. "Maybe we just shouldn't have invited Kyohei."

"But then things wouldn't be right." Yuki said. "How can we all be smiling and happy again if our family isn't complete?"

Machiko gripped her boyfriend's hand, offering her support. Noi and Takenaga sighed, nodding their heads.

"Yuki is right." Takenaga said wearily. "It just can't be helped."

"If only there was some way we could get Kyohei and Sunako-Chan back together." Noi said, tugging nervously on a lock of her hair. "If we could do that, then things would go back to normal again, right?"

Takenaga and Ranmaru scoffed.

"There's no way we could do that." Ranmaru said. Takenaga patted his girlfriend's hand gently.

"As nice an idea as it may be, I'd have to agree with Ranmaru." He said. "Those two would probably kill each other if we tried. Sunako-Chan would be examining Kyohei's corpse by the time it's all over."

"What makes you so sure that Sunako would win?" Miss Nakahara asked. Takenaga shrugged.

"Kyohei is so hyped up on booze that he can't fight right. Sunako-Chan was always able to go head to head with him, but with him like this, he doesn't stand a chance." He said. The group nodded their agreement, knowing it was true. Sunako could and would kill Kyohei if she wanted to.

"But there has to be _something_ we can do, right?" Yuki asked. "I can't stand seeing Kyohei like this anymore, and surely Sunako-Chan is hurting too, right?"

No one answered for several minutes, wondering if it were even possible. To get those two back together again was crazy, right? Miss Nakahara suddenly smiled, an idea beginning to form.

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Even though the house was quiet, his head pulsated as though loud music were pumping through it. Kyohei groaned, rubbing at his temples as he sat up, his head spinning and his stomach doing uncomfortable flip-flops. He felt like he would be sick.

He pushed himself out of his bed, stumbling into the bathroom, spewing the contents of his stomach into the toilet a few times before collapsing. For several long minutes, he found comfort in the cool tile floors, wishing for just a moment that he didn't have to get back up. His throat felt dry and scratchy. Water sounded awesome. On unsteady legs, he made his way to the kitchen, groping sightlessly in the darkness…

…only to stumble back, frightened, against the counter of the kitchen, knocking over a pile of freshly cleaned plates. The ghost-like figure perked at the noise, startled, before moving to the wall and flicking on the light switch. Sunako frowned at Kyohei who scowled right back at her.

"Damn creepy bitch…you scared me." He muttered, kneeling down to clean up his mess.

"I scared you?" Sunako scoffed, joining him on the floor. "I didn't even see you come in. At least I didn't knock everything over."

Kyohei only hummed as he gathered broken shards of glass into his hands. After a few minutes, the pair managed to clean up the broken glass that littered the floor. Sunako swept the last little bit of glass into a pan, dumping it in the trash can, trying to ignore Kyohei's staring.

"Why did you come back?"

The question wasn't cold or hostile like she had been expecting. It sounded simply curious, if not remorseful. She looked at him from over her shoulder. It still surprised her just how different he was. Before, she could spot him in her wonderful darkness a mile away. He was always shining. But now, a dark aura seemed to surround him. Not even a hint of that familiar glow could be seen. It unnerved her a great deal, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, she turned and moved back to the table, placing her dirtied plate in the sink.

"It's none of your business." She said simply, picking up the textbook she had been flipping through. She couldn't sleep. She figured she might as well study and enjoy a nice slice of chocolate pie, since everyone in the house was supposed to be asleep. She hadn't expected Kyohei to barge into the kitchen like this, and it both irritated and worried her. She kept her face emotionless as she moved to walk out of the kitchen door.

But she hesitated.

Kyohei hadn't moved from his spot on the ground, but at least he wasn't staring at her anymore. A pained look had entered his eyes and his cheeks were flushed from, she presumed to be, his hangover. She released a heavy sigh.

"Did you want something?" She asked. He blinked up at her, not fully comprehending her question. She flushed a little and scowled. "From the kitchen. You came in here for something, right?"

"Water…" He rasped, grasping the counter as he struggled to pull himself back up. Rolling her eyes, Sunako pushed him into a chair, moving to the cupboard. She poured him a cup of water before handing it to him. He immediately began chugging it. Once it was empty, she refilled it for him.

"Do you need anything else?" She asked. He shook his head, pushing himself up from the chair as he stumbled to the door. Water sloshed from his cup, splattering on the floor. "How about some help to your room?"

Kyohei scoffed and pushed through the door, not bothering to answer her. Water spilled to the carpet as he continued his trek back to his bedroom. Suddenly, a steady hand reached out to grab him around the waist. A black head appeared underneath his arm, offering him some balance. Her violet eyes stared up into his, unfazed and unafraid. His heart rate kicked up a notch and for a second he lost his breath.

"You're making a mess." She explained. "I'll help you to your room."

For a moment, he seemed fine with the idea, but in an instant, the fire returned and he scowled, pushing away from her. He glared viciously at her, leaning against the wall.

"Don't need your fuckin' help." He muttered, turning and proceeding to his room, leaving behind an irritated dark girl.

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After the events of the night before, nothing could calm Sunako more than cooking. No amount of blood and gore could put her at ease like preparing a delicious home-cooked meal. And so, early the next morning, she walked back into the kitchen, intent on fixing breakfast for the friends she hadn't seen in so long. However, just as she was pulling her hair back into a pony-tail, a note on the counter caught her eye.

_Dear Sunako-Chan,_

_Sorry to just up and leave so suddenly. Princess was having contactions and Ranmaru asked us if we could help her to the hospital. Takenaga, Noi, Yuki and Machiko decided to go with us to offer Tamao their support. We didn't want to wake you or Kyohei, especially after all that went on last night. We figured you'd be tired. There is plenty of food in the fridge in case you get hungry. We'll be back just as soon as we can, and then we can celebrate the new baby._

_In the mean time, would you mind taking care of Kyohei? You both are welcome to join us at the hospital later, but we all agreed that we would rather he be sober when he's around the baby. Please, please, PLEASE try not to kill each other. Make sure he eats and gets a shower. We'll leave it to you, then!_

_Thanks!_

_- Aunty 3_

And then it suddenly felt like an intense weight had fallen on her shoulders. Sunako fell to her knees, sighing.

'_How can you do this to me, Aunty?'_ She thought. _'Take care of _him_? For how long? I don't know if I can do this...'_

She sat like that for a long time, contemplating on just letting the man die, before finally she stood up. She was seriously starting to hate her conscience for making her feel guilty for thinking such a thing. With an irritated sigh, she put on her apron and began fixing breakfast. The simple act of frying eggs and such really did help to ease her flustered mind. Maybe her Aunty was right; she should open a restaurant.

She shook off the thought, finishing Kyohei's breakfast. She set it up on a tray along with a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee, walking down the hallway towards Kyohei's room. So many memories, both good and bad, rushed back to her, nearly taking her breath away. She began to wonder, and not for the first time, if she ever should have showed up to this thing. She kicked at Kyohei's door a few times and then waited.

When no one came right away, she kicked his door again.

"Oi! Kyohei!" She shouted. "Answer the door!"

Finally, an annoyed and tired Kyohei threw open the door.

"What?" He demanded, glaring at her. He blinked, surprised at the meal in her hands. Scowling, she shoved the tray at him.

"Aunty asked me to fix you breakfast while they're gone." She muttered. He raised a brow.

"Gone? Where'd they go?" He asked.

"Tamao's having the baby and they didn't want you there while you're like this, so they told me to clean you up before we head over there." She stated simply, shoving the tray at him again. "So here, take it."

He glared at her before slamming the door in her face, nearly knocking the food over. Sunako growled, kicking the door roughly, succeeding in knocking it down. He looked about ready to fight her when she set the food tray down on his night stand.

"You are going to eat whether you want to or not." She seethed. He rolled his eyes, grabbing a bottle of tequila from under his pillow.

"I don't want it, you crazy bitch." He said. He went to take a swig from the bottle only to have it knocked out of his hands. Sunako glared at him.

"Look, I'm in charge of you right now, so I say _eat something._" She shouted. "I just want to get through this weekend peacefully, then we can get out of each other's hair, all right? So just eat your fucking food!"

Kyohei didn't say a word. He stood and knocked over the food tray on his night stand, throwing it all on the ground before storming past her. Grinding her teeth, she set off after him.

"Where are you going?" She demanded. Again, he didn't answer. He walked into the living room, towards the liquor cabinet, intent on getting a drink. He reached into the cabinet, pulling out another various bottle of alcohol, only to have that knocked out of his hands as well. Sunako was livid as she shoved the liquor cabinet to the floor, effectively shattering all of the alcohol bottles, spraying glass all over the floor. Growling, he turned on Sunako.

"Fine." He breathed. "I'll go out for a drink."

He turned to walk to the door but she grabbed him by the arm.

"No, you're not." She hissed. Kyohei swore he saw reed and the next thing he knew, Sunako was thrown into the pile of glass. She winced in pain as she sat up, gingerly, looking at her bloodied elbows and arms. Bits of glass stuck to her skin, digging into the wounds. For the moment, she ignored Kyohei, wondering why she even bothered to try and help him to begin with.

Kyohei only stared at her, surprised at himself for what he had done. He watched the blood drop from her wounds and onto the floor, and an intense wave of guilt washed over him. Part of him wanted to reach out to her, apologize and make things right again. But instead, he buried his feelings deep within his heart and glared coldly at the girl. Without a word, he turned and walked towards the door. He needed to get out, to get away from her. But as soon as he opened the door, a wall of white caught his eyes. He stepped back, completely in shock as snow tumbled into the room.

They were snowed in.


	3. Some Things Never Change

Noi shifted nervously in her seat, her hands gripping her mug tightly. Takenaga nudged her gently, raising a brow.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Ranmaru and Tamao's studio apartment was spacious and beautiful, and it seemed strange for Noi to be so uncomfortable there, especially with a hot cup of coffee in her hands. Everyone else had certainly made themselves comfortable. Tamao, who wasn't feeling too good, retired to the couch where she rested her head on her husband's lap. Ranmaru was flipping through the channels absentmindedly. Yuki and Machiko sat across from Takenaga and Noi at the table, sipping on coffee as well. Miss Nakahara had excused herself earlier that morning to take care of some business. Noi offered her boyfriend a smile before sighing.

"Are you sure we did the right thing?" She asked. "I mean, we lied to Sunako-Chan. Is this really okay?"

"It was the Landlady's idea, so I'm sure it'll be fine." Ranmaru said from the couch. Tamao looked up at her husband, a little pout on her pretty face.

"I have been feeling rather guilty as well." She said. Ranmaru sighed, peering at his wife. He gently pushed a strand of hair from her face, silently telling her not to worry so much. Yuki and Machiko, however, seemed to agree with Noi and Tamao.

"I mean, things are different now." Yuki said. "Before, we could assume we'd walk in on them in an awkward position and everything would be fine. This time, they haven't seen each other in five years, and their _still_ on bad terms with each other."

The group fell silent, not for the first time that weekend.

"I'm sure they'll be all right." Takenaga said, finally. "I mean, somewhere deep down they still love each other, right?"

Everyone murmured their own agreements before falling silent again. Yuki stood up, stretching his arms above his head before looking to his girlfriend. He blushed lightly, smiling.

"So, Machiko-Chan," he started. "Since we have a free day, I was thinking we could go out or something."

Machiko giggled, standing up as well to kiss her boyfriend lightly. She found it cute that after all of these years, he still got nervous when asking her out.

"Sure." She said. She looked to Noi and Takenaga, grinning. "Why don't you both come too? We can double!"

Noi smiled brightly, clasping Machiko's hands.

"Yes! We'd love to!" She exclaimed. Takenaga sighed, knowing there was no stopping Noi when she got going. He looked towards Ranmaru, and smiled.

"You're both welcome to come too." He said. Ranmaru shrugged, looking to his wife affectionately.

"Nah, if it's all the same, I think we'll just stay here." He said. "The doctor said that Tamao needs to rest as much as possible."

They nodded and said their goodbyes as they left the apartment, leaving Tamao and Ranmaru alone.

"I am fine, you know." She said gently, gripping the sofa as she attempt to sit up. Ranmaru gently helped her get into a sitting position and the girl muttered a soft sigh of relief, rubbing her belly. At least the note they had left Sunako hadn't be _completely_ off. The doctor had warned her that the hicksburg contractions could be horrible. Ranmaru placed a hand over the one that was gently rubbing her belly.

"Yeah, but I worry about you." He said simply, wrapping his free arm around her shoulders. "I just want you and the baby to be comfortable."

He released her hand only to run it down her stomach, smiling as the baby lightly kicked at his palm. It still fascinated him how life could be there, growing within his wife. He kissed his princess on her temple and allowed her to rest against him once again.

Their moment was cut short by the others walking back in, appearing upset.

"Turn on the weather channel." Takenaga said to Ranmaru. Hesitantly, he did what his friend asked. A horrible snow storm was working its way through their area.

"How is it we didn't notice this before?" Ranmaru asked, eyes wide.

"I don't know," Yuki whined. "I guess we weren't paying attention. Jeez, just as we were about to go on a date, we get hit by a snow storm. Just our luck."

Machiko patted his shoulder gently.

"I'm sure it'll pass quickly."

"I hope Sunako-Chan and Kyohei are all right." Noi added, opening the shades to the window, watching the snow storm rage.

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He could feel his skin break against the snow and ice and he grunted painfully, but pressed onwards, forgetting it instantly. For a few moments, Kyohei could hear nothing but the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears and the crunching of ice. A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed him by the wrist, calling him from his trance. Shocked, he looked down to find Sunako glaring up at him.

"Stupid, I told you, it won't do any good!" She shouted. He stared uncomprehendingly at the woman, but then finally scoffed and pulled his wrist away. "You're hurt."

Blinking, he looked at his knuckles. The skin had been peeled back and rubbed away, traces of blood seeping out from his black and blue colored fist. His hands had long since gone numb from the ice and they shook slightly from the cold. Sighing, Sunako brushed past him, retrieving the first aid kit from the kitchen. She pushed him into a chair in the dining room, away from the broken pieces of glass, and then she set to work at cleaning his wounds. Scowling, he tugged his hands away, an insult on his lips, but then he hesitated.

Pieces of glass still stuck into Sunako's forearms and elbows, and she was still bleeding terribly. And yet there she was, trying to clean his wounds. He caught her eyes, still proud and strong and beautiful, just as he remembered them. With a heavy sigh, he allowed her to take his hands again, wiping the knuckles with antiseptic before wrapping them firmly in gauze.

"Why are you being so nice to me, anyway?" He asked quietly, finding he didn't have the strength to fight with her. She looked up at him for a second before shrugging.

"Who said I was being nice?" She muttered. "I'm just in charge of you, stupid. I think Aunty would be upset with me if I left your wounds untreated."

He snorted, amused by the very idea, then fell silent, watching her as she finished. Her hands were still so soft and small compared to his. She turned to put the antiseptic and gauze back into the first-aid kit, as if completely forgetting her own wounds, when Kyohei caught her by the hand.

"You're hurt too, dumb ass." He muttered. "Now hold still."

Flushing, she frowned, pulling her hand away.

"What do you care? You're the one that did it." She grumbled. "I can take care of it myself."

Worldessly, he grabbed her by the wrist, lightly poking a small piece of glass that stuck out from her arm.

"Ow! Owowowow! Stop it, you bastard!" She exclaimed, struggling to pull her hand back. She hesitated, meeting his eyes. He remained deathly serious and icy cold, but she swore she saw, for an instant, a spark of the old Takano Kyohei, the man she had loved. She felt her face grow warm. She didn't move. He reached into the kit, pulling a pair of tweezers out. Bit by bit, he pulled out each piece of glass from her arms as gently as he could. He then began washing the wounds with the antiseptic and wrapping them, albeit sloppily, in gauze. Once he had finished, he placed everything back into the first-aid kit, setting it on the table. He stood and started back towards the living room.

"T-Thanks."

He stopped in his tracks, peering at Sunako from over his shoulder. She refused to meet his eye, analyzing the gauze on her arm. He didn't say anything; he just turned and walked back into the living room. After all, they had made quite the mess.

An hour or two was spent picking up pieces of glass, vacuuming the carpet before hand-washing it to remove the stains of various liquors. It didn't take them long, but it felt like it took forever. An uncomfortable silence had fallen over them like a thick blanket in the summer time. Once they had finished, they set to work on finding an exit. Sunako reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone while Kyohei moved to the house phone.

"No signal." She said grumpily, snapping the phone closed. He didn't answer at first, listening to the phone in hopes of getting a dial tone. Finally, he angrily put the phone back on the hook, swearing.

"Phone lines are down." He said. As if to prove his point, the lights began to flicker. Sunako scowled and opened the blinds to the window- maybe they could escape through there? –only to find the snow reaching up close to the top of the glass. The sky looked dark and the wind rattled the glass above. She shook her head, pushing away from the window.

"Sounds like a storm out there." She said. "I think we're stuck for now."

The flickering lights gave out, then, and the room went dark, engulfing the pair completely. Only a bit of light from whatever sun there could be filtered in through the top of the window. The dark had always been a comfort of hers, and she relished in the energy that danced on her skin, making her tingle lightly. The room had grown colder, though it could have been from the door Kyohei had left open, allowing the snow to litter the floor.

"Damn it all…" She heard the man murmur angrily. She had expected to see Kyohei, however, shining like a beacon in the darkened room, looking to ruin whatever peace she could find. But there was nothing.

Not for the first time that weekend, she wondered about it, turning to light some candles. Once the task was done, she turned to him and passed him a flashlight.

"Go check the thermostat and turn up the heater, would you?" She asked. He glared at her for a moment and didn't move, and she glared right back. "_Please_?"

The word still felt foreign on her tongue, and it left a bad taste in her mouth. The man didn't say a word, but did as she asked, turning around the corner in search of the thermostat. Sunako went back to setting up candles around the main parts of the house: the living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom. When she returned to the living room, she found Kyohei setting up a fire in the fireplace.

"Thermostat's busted." He muttered, throwing a log on the fire. He fell onto the couch, then, sighing wearily and leaning his head back against the couch. God only knew how much he needed a drink. He didn't move when he felt Sunako sit on the cushion next to his. Silence returned full-force and the pair stared blankly into the fire, unsure of what to say or do. Sunako half expected him to demand some food, but still he remained quiet. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and took the time to examine him.

He had grown thinner and paler, amber-colored eyes darkening into nearly lifeless orbs. His chin was speckled with stubble and his hair, still unruly and wild, frizzed out a bit and fell across his face. Even those lips, so passionate and forceful, appeared chapped and broken. He had become exactly what she longed for him to be so many years ago; a beautiful corpse. And yet it seemed to be a hollow victory.

This was not the man she had loved.

"Take a picture, would ya? It'll last longer." Kyohei muttered sarcastically, and Sunako jolted and scowled, knowing she'd been caught. She turned her attention back into the fire for a moment before standing up.

"I'm going to go fix some food." She said, walking to the kitchen door. When he said nothing, she turned and looked at him. He was still gazing emotionlessly into the flames. "Would you like something?"

"No."

The sheer force of the word, clear and biting, made her eyes widen a little in surprise. Takano Kyohei denying food? Sure, he had done so earlier, but she had blamed it on his addiction to alcohol at the time. With all of the alcohol in the house gone, she figured he'd be a little more compliant. But this was just nuts! Her knuckles cracked as she clenched her hands into fists, storming off into the kitchen.

About ten minutes or so passed when Sunako finally returned, two steaming bowls of rice porridge in her hands. It wasn't her favorite meal, but in the dark, it was the easiest dish for her to fix. She set her bowl on the coffee table before turning to him.

"I told you, I don't want it." He snapped, glaring at her. She scowled.

"And I told you that I'm in charge, so eat." She snapped back. He rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the flames, ignoring her. Smirking a little, she stomped hard on his foot, and just as his mouth was forming the pained cry, she shoved a spoonful of porridge into his mouth. He groaned as the hot food burned his mouth and nearly spat it out. But it was then that his stomach growled desperately. He hadn't even realized how hungry he was, and the porridge was delicious.

Sunako held up a spoonful of the porridge, giving him a cocky smile. He scowled and took the bowl and spoon from her.

"Don't need your help." He muttered, shoveling food into his mouth. Sunako picked up her own bowl and began to eat, however at a much slower pace. As soon as he finished, she passed to him the rest of her porridge and he ate it gladly. Once he was done with that, she collected the bowls and put them back in the kitchen. She leaned on the doorway, arms crossed over her chest as she watched him. He hadn't moved an inch and had gone back to staring blankly into the fire.

"Want me to run you a bath?" She asked, finally. He raised a brow and peered at her, as though to say, _'Really?'_

"What for?" He asked, though not curious. She rolled her eyes.

"You stink." She said bluntly. "It smells like you haven't washed in days."

He held up his bandaged hands, smirking.

"And what, are you going to scrub my back for me, too?" He asked sarcastically. She scowled.

"You can do that yourself, you ass." She said. "I'll fix your hands back up once you're done."

He had already lost interest in the little conversation, looking back into the fire. He only shrugged, as if saying that he didn't care what she did. Shaking her head, she went to the bathroom and set to work at preparing a bath for the man.

_'Jeez, Aunty, what did you get me into?'_ She thought. _'I'm waiting on him hand and foot now? What the hell, he doesn't even deserve it!'_

Her Aunt's words still rang in her mind and she sighed, knowing she didn't want to let her Aunty down. Once she had finished, she walked back into the living room, shivering at the cold of the house.

"Your bath is ready." She muttered unenthusiastically. Wordlessly, he stood and walked past her and into the bathroom. She released a sigh of relief, grateful he wasn't fighting her on this. Shivering again, she retrieved the flashlight and walked back to her room in hopes of finding refuge from Kyohei in there. Her room was even colder than the rest of the house, as if she had left the window wide open, or better yet, a ghost was present. Shuddering, she grabbed her blanket off of her bed and walked back to the living room.

There was no sense in freezing to death when there was a nice, warm fire going. Throwing another long onto the fire, she bundled up in her blankets and sat back down on her cushion. She began flipping through another one of her text books, memorizing each syllable and phrase and picture on each page.

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When Kyohei finally came out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his bare shoulders, he found Sunako on the couch. Her head was resting against the arm of the couch and her book was falling off of her lap. She was just as beautiful sleeping as she was when she was awake. He shuddered, then, finding it was still chilly in the house and walked back to his room to retrieve a shirt and a blanket as well.

Wrapping the blanket around himself, ignoring the sting of his injured hands, he sat down on the opposite side of the couch. She could take care of his hands later. He gently took up her text book and raised a brow at the writing on the cover. _Forensic Pathology_, he read, chuckling.

_'Guess some things never change...'_ He thought, looking back at the girl. His heart began to sting and he suddenly felt like hitting something again. He brushed off the very idea, noting that injuring his already injured knuckles was probably a bad idea. He set the book down on the coffee table, leaning his head back on the couch. The room felt so nice and warm and comforting and he felt his eyes begin to grow heavy. Before he knew it, he joined Sunako in slumber.

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_A/N: _Hello again, guys! I'm going to work on getting a chapter up each week. Because I'm going to be out of town this upcoming week, however, I decided to grace you all with TWO new chapters. Next weekend, once I return home, I'll see about getting up chapter four. In the mean time, here's a brief idea of what's to come:

The snow storm rages on. Can Kyohei and Sunako find a way to escape, or will they fall prey to their old home once again? Can ambulances even drive in a snow storm? Find out in the next exciting chapter of _Things Change_!


	4. The Thunder Rolls

The fire crackled and popped as it ate away at the digital logs from the electric fireplace. It wasn't much for roasting marshmallows, but Ranmaru, Tamao and their young son Hayate seemed to enjoy it. With another baby on the way, Ranmaru found the electric fireplace to be better suited for children. No one seemed to complain as they huddled around the illusion. Tamao waddled back into the living room, then, holding her stomach.

"You Father says that Hayate-Kun is doing just fine and that we shouldn't worry." She said. Ranmaru only nodded. She smiled before excusing herself again, saying she needed to lie down.

"Why didn't you bring Hayate-Kun anyway? Kyohei and Sunako haven't met him yet, right?" Noi asked, peering at them curiously from her spot on the floor. Ranmaru spared her a smile, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, I wasn't sure how things would turn out, so I thought it would be best if he stayed with my folks for the weekend." He said. "Mom's always complaining that she doesn't see enough of her Grandson anyway."

The others nodded in understanding. None of them knew how things would go once Sunako and Kyohei met face to face again, and with the way things turned out, it was probably a good idea to leave the toddler behind. They all seemed to sigh simultaneously as they were reminded of the pair.

"I wonder how they're doing…" Yuki murmured.

"Hasn't anyone tried calling them?" Machiko asked. Noi pointed to the kitchen, where Takenaga stood, speaking on the phone.

"I think he's trying that now." She said. The group fell silent as they waited for the news from Takenaga. He rejoined them a few moments later, rubbing at the bridge of his nose as he fell into a chair.

"The phone lines around the Nakahara mansion are down." He explained. "I just got off the phone with Oba-San. She tried getting hold of them as well, and when she couldn't, she checked the security feed. They've been snowed in."

"Seriously?" Machiko asked, surprised.

"At least they're safe from the storm…" Ranmaru murmured, though it was obvious he was more worried than he let on.

"Yeah, but not from each other." Noi said, shaking her head. "Will they really be okay? How long is the storm supposed to last, anyway?"

Ranmaru looked back towards the TV, sighing.

"It's supposed to go on until late tomorrow evening, if we're lucky." He said.

"Oba-San said that she's already got a team together to dig them out once the storm is gone." Takenaga explained. "She asked us not to worry too much, but…"

"How can we not worry?" Yuki whined. The group fell silent again, unsure of what to do. "Man, this sucks… The waiting, I mean."

Machiko leaned into his arms, kissing his cheek, silently telling him things will be okay.

"Maybe leaving them behind was a bad idea…" Noi said, sulkily. She scooted closer to Takenaga, resting her head against his knee. He ran his fingers through her hair comfortingly. Silence was their only companion for a few long moments. There was no sound but the beat of their own hearts, the crackling of the electric fireplace and the quieted talking of the news anchor on the television screen.

Tamao suddenly appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. She looked physically upset, clad in only a nightgown and holding her stomach.

A foreign liquid was dripping down her legs.

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A shiver ran through his body, stirring him from his slumber. It had grown colder in the room and, absentmindedly, he pulled his blanket back over his shoulder, scooting closer to that source of warmth at his side. He closed his eyes to sleep again but the warmth shifted slightly, and his eyes flew open. Sunako was curled at his side, her head resting against his shoulder. He felt his face grow warmer and, for a moment, he didn't want to move.

When was the last time she had been so close? He couldn't even remember. He mentally kicked himself, feeling his stomach twist in disgust with himself for allowing himself to feel something for her again. He shoved away from her and stood, scowling at the floor. Sunako fell forward onto the cushions, immediately waking up. She sat up and glared at him.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" She shouted. She stared at him for a few minutes, watching his flushed cheeks and scowling features, and she understood, feeling her cheeks warm. "Oh. Sorry."

Kyohei shrugged his shoulders, peering into the smoldering embers in the fireplace. The room had already started to get chilly. He set to work on fixing the fire.

"What time is it?" Sunako asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Kyohei shrugged again.

"Late." He said. "Or early, depending on how you wanna look at it."

Sunako sighed.

"Specific." She muttered sarcastically, looking to the clock on the wall. 4:45 in the morning. "It's early."

The windows rattled slightly with the shuddering wind and as the pair listened, they could hear the howling clear as day. The storm hadn't died down yet. Sighing, Kyohei finally fell back into his seat, staring at the fire. Sunako retrieved the first-aid kit and set to work on replacing Kyohei's bandages, feeling slightly bad that she had fallen asleep before she could replace them. Once she was done, he helped her replace her own bandages before they finally settled back into the couch. Neither spoke a word for several long minutes, tension building between the pair.

"If the storm continues like this, we won't be able to get out for another few days." Sunako murmured in an attempt to break that tension, peering at the snow-stained window with an agitated frown. "That would suck, I have a test Wednesday."

Kyohei snorted at that, shaking his head. She scowled at him.

"What's so funny?" She asked. He looked at her with his icy eyes, smirking.

"You." He said. "Since when were you such a school-girl?"

"Since I grew up and went to college like a fully functional human being?" She said, crossing her arms. He laughed loudly at that.

"You? Fully functional?" He snickered. "I still remember your obsession with torture weapons, horror movies and anatomy dolls. Where is Hiroshi-Kun anyway?"

Sunako flushed slightly, hugging a pillow as she looked away from him.

"Gave him up." She said. "The others too. I donated them to the anatomy lab at school."

There was a long period of silence before Sunako looked up again. Kyohei stared, completely in shock at the girl.

"You gave up Hiroshi-Kun?" He asked. "Your best friend? Your general in your army of darkness? Seriously? Why?"

He remembered the times he would sneak into her room, while she was out, and he would sit and chat away his sorrows to Hiroshi-Kun. It was his fault that Hiroshi was stolen by those crazed fan girls to begin with. To hear the young woman say that she had given him up, and as a donation, was nearly heart breaking. Sunako stared forlornly at her feet.

"It's not like I don't see them all the time." She said. "I'm allowed visitation rights all the time. It's just that the school needed them, and I…well…I didn't anymore."

Kyohei couldn't believe his ears.

"Why?"

"The entire time I was in Africa, I was focusing on being more social. On finding real friends I could spend my time with. I still loved Hiroshi-Kun and Akira-Kun and Josephine and Sergeant George, but they weren't helping me as much as they were before. I couldn't find the same amount of comfort in them as I did before." She explained. "They were there for me when I cried, but they couldn't heal me. They couldn't make me numb like people could."

She shrugged, staring into the fire.

"So I gave them away." She said. Kyohei was silent for a moment or two before finally scoffing.

"Idiot," He said. "You know how useful that would have been to us all those years ago? We'd have had free rent a hell of a lot sooner."

Sunako looked at him for a second.

"But it is to my understanding that you didn't stay even after Aunty offered you free rent." She said. Kyohei instantly fell silent, his hands clenching into fists. "Why? What's happened to you, creature?"

He didn't speak for a minute before he finally scowled, shaking his head.

"It's none of your damn business." He said. "Now make yourself useful and fix me something to eat, woman."

Sunako frowned.

"You've got two working legs and two working hands, why don't you do it yourself?" She snapped. Kyohei glared at her.

"You want me to burn the house down?" He threatened. Sunako gave an exasperated groan, standing up.

"Fine, then." She growled, though deep down she was a little bit thankful. He was asking for food again and that was good enough for her.

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A/N: Sorry for the delay, guys. I've had some things come up. But here it is! Enjoy guys and another chapter will be up next weekend, I promise!


	5. AUTHOR'S NOTE

AUTHOR'S NOTE

01/28/2012

Hello, my friends and fans of the _Yin-Yang Effect_ and _Things Change_!

I am very sorry for my delay in posting new chapters. As life does, it sneaks up on you and attacks while your back is turned, causing you to drop all prior responsibilities until the dust has cleared. However, I am please to announce that _Things Change_ will be back up and running this new year! I shall be posting a new chapter, hopefully by tonight or tomorrow morning.

Thank you all so much for your patience and your encouragement and your love, and I promise I won't let you all down again!

With love,

Ach13


	6. Pain is Painful

A/N: Here it is, guys! Again, sorry for the wait! I promise i'll have another chapter up by either this weekend or next. Maybe sooner, depending on my work schedule. Enjoy, everyone!

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The wind whipped hard against the glass, making it seem like the entire building was shaking and would give under its powerful wake. The howling of the storm did little to silence the cries of the pale, pretty young woman and her body was wracked with another contraction.

Noi held Tamao close, allowing the Princess to grip her hand as she rode through the pain. The pair sat in front of the couch, their backs supported by the furniture.

"No, I don't care how bad the storm is," Ranmaru screamed into his phone. "My wife needs an ambulance! It's your job to serve and protect, right? Well, serve and protect!"

_"Sir, we'll do all that we can, but with the storm it will be difficult and might take us a while. For now, please make your wife as comfortable as possible. We're on our way." _The 119 operator assured him. Ranmaru growled as he shut off the phone. Machiko ringed out a wet rag, dabbing Tamao's face and forehead. The Mother-To-Be smiled at Machiko and at her worry stricken husband, as though her sweet smile would ease their mind.

Ranmaru knelt beside her, taking her hand.

"How are you doing, baby?" He asked. She squeezed his hand gently.

"A little worried, but I will be okay. What did they say?" She asked, referring to the phone call.

"With the storm as bad as it is, it isn't likely they're going to get an ambulance out here." He explained, ducking his head in frustration. She released his hand to touch his face, silently asking for him to look at her. He gave into her silent command and looked desperately into her eyes.

"Ranmaru-Kun," She breathed, smiling. "We're having a baby. It's going to be okay."

"We should call the doctor." Takenaga said, rejoining the others. "Obaa-Chan is sending help. But for now, we should call the doctor and see what we should do."

"Can we really do anything?" Yuki asked, obviously pale and terrified of the situation at hand. "We aren't Doctors!"

"But we can't just stand around and do nothing either." Takenaga said.

"I'll call the Doctor." Ranmaru said, standing up and walking out of the room. Yuki and Takenaga looked at Machiko and Noi.

"Can't you ladies do anything?" Takenaga asked. The girls stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"And what do you want _us_ to do?" Noi asked.

"Well, you're girls, right? Girls are supposed to know what to do in these situations!" He exclaimed.

"We've never had a baby!" Machiko and Noi shouted.

"We've never even seen one being born!" Machiko added.

"But you're still women! Deliver the baby or something!" Yuki shouted.

Tamao winced painfully as another contraction wracked her body.

"We don't know anything about delivering!" Noi said.

"Aren't you just supposed to push and catch?" Yuki asked.

"If it's that easy, why don't _you_ do it?" Noi and Machiko growled.

"Would it really be okay for me to be face to face with her…lady parts?"

"Takenaga, what does dilation mean?" Ranmaru asked, poking his head into the room.

"ENOUGH!"

The sudden silence was overwhelming and everyone stared in shock at Tamao. Rage lit up her normally peaceful and gentle face.

"That is enough! Now I want you all to work together and get this Goddamned thing out of me, or so help me, I will crush all of you with this gigantic belly! Am I clear?" She shouted. A shiver ran down the group's spine and they gulped, nodding. Ranmaru, however, was the only one who didn't seem too surprised. After his wife's demand, he took a breath to calm himself and walked back into the room, the phone pressed to his ear.

"Ah, yes, the contractions are about a minute apart." Ranmaru said to the Doctor. He was silent for a moment and then she grimaced. "You want me to do what?"

He winced and then offered Tamao a smile.

"Honey…I've gotta take a look, okay?" He said, slowly lifting her nightgown…

…only to collapse onto his side, completely unconscious. The group's mouth dropped and the panic began to rise again. Takenaga scrambled for the phone.

"Ah, yes, Doctor?" He asked. "Yeah…he just fainted…But what if I faint? …No, I'm not really squeamish, technically I've seen worse…Oh, from an old, potentially homicidal roommate…No, she didn't kill anyone- can we just get back to the point?"

His grimaced as well, looking into the infuriated Tamao's eyes.

"I just need to take a look and see how far along you are." He said.

"If you faint like my pansy husband, I'll kill you." Tamao growled. Takenaga shivered, praying he wouldn't disappoint. He looked beneath her gown, then sat up again.

"Okay, Doctor? Yes…the baby just winked at me. What do I do?…Okay…" He said. He looked at Yuki. "Yuki, go boil some water. Machiko, get some towels, Noi, hold her steady. Now, Tamao, you're going to have to start pushing for me, okay?"

Tamao only nodded, gripping Noi's hand while Yuki and Machiko ran off to do their respective jobs. Takenaga set the phone down and winced, getting into position.

"All right, sweet heart, push!" He said, and Tamao grunted and shut her eyes, crying out, and Takenaga suddenly wished he hadn't left the mansion, and that he had remembered to roll up the sleeves to the expensive, silk, long sleeved shirt he wore.

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The morning pretty much went along in a strange awkward haze. Kyohei nor Sunako really wanted to engage each other in any form of conversation, but neither wanted to retreat from the warmth of the living room. The only interaction they willingly had from one another was when Kyohei demanded food, or when they would re-bandage each other's wounds. Sunako, to pass the time, buried her face into one of her text books, but in the end she found she couldn't concentrate. The once Creature of Light kept her attention, much as she hated it.

Kyohei only stared, half interested into the fire, listening to her turn the pages and the wind howl outside. To say it was uncomfortable in the room would have been an understatement, and yet Sunako could not help but keep her peripheral gaze on the man. Every now and again her eyes would flit to the clock on the wall, and she would sigh each and every time, realizing how slow the time was going.

Was it really only 11 o'clock in the morning? It felt like it should have, at least, been 1 in the afternoon by now.

A sudden crash caught her attention and she was surprised to find that Kyohei had kicked over the coffee table and was standing up.

"Fuck this shit. I'm getting out of here." He said. Sunako glared at him.

"And just how do you propose you do that, smart guy?" She asked. "We're snowed in!"

"What, you really just want to sit here and wait for someone to find us? Well, you can do just that, but me? I'm getting out." He said. He began to walk out of the room. "If we're snowed in down here, we can only go up."

"So you're just going to climb out of a window and into the storm?" Sunako demanded, following after him.

"Pretty much."

"You're insane!" Sunako shouted. "You'll get your ass killed! You'll-"

She was cut off by an icy glare from Kyohei, one that felt even colder than the snow that held them captive. He smirked.

"Not like it'd matter to you, right? I'm just a drunkard who's got nothin' to lose." He said. He turned and continued his trek to, what he hoped would be, freedom. "You only wanted me to be a 'beautiful corpse anyway."

Sunako watched him for a good minute, completely shocked by his words. True, she had said that multiple times as a teenager, but those had always been just words to her.

_'Does he seriously believe I don't care at all?'_ She thought, almost helplessly. She shook away the weak thoughts, scowling at his retreating back. _'I don't, of course, but it's still rude of him to assume!'_

She took off after him. He glared at her as she caught up.

"What are you following me for? Stay here." He said.

"I'm going with you." She said. He rolled his eyes.

"'You'll get yourself killed.'" He mimicked. She smirked at him.

"'Not that it matters to you, right?'" She responded, instantly shutting him up. He grumbled but didn't argue, walking through the hallways. They found themselves in a familiar corridor, with stairs winding up to the second level balcony that, once upon a time, Sunako had nearly flung herself off of. The floor itself creaked underneath their weight, save for one certain area that had given way a long time ago.

Kyohei flew up the stairs to the balcony door. He was surprised to find that the wind wasn't howling and the snow wasn't blowing around like crazy. He grinned.

"Looks like its over." He said as he went to pry the door open, which had been barricaded by a few large tree limbs.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" Sunako screeched, shoving him away from the door.

"What's your problem?" Kyohei growled at her.

"Are you so simple-minded that you don't know the eye of a storm when you see one?" She shouted. "This storm is far from over and it's just going to get a hell of a lot worse!"

Kyohei glared viciously at her.

"Get out of my way, Sunako." He said, his voice low and threatening.

"You'll have to make me. I'm going to let you kill us both!" She said. He gave a bitter laugh.

"Both? Who said you'd be coming with me?" He asked.

"I did, when I promised Aunty to watch over you." She stated simply. He narrowed his eyes, the laugh falling from his face.

"You won't be coming with me, Sunako." He said.

"You can't stop me, so get over it." She replied. He growled at her and grasped her by the shoulders and shoved her into the railing. She winced and glared right back at him.

"You really think I'd let you risk your life because I decided to be an idiot?" He hissed out, holding her arms in an iron-like grip. She didn't seem phased.

"You really think I'd let you go be an idiot on your own?" She hissed back. He growled again at her defiance, feeling his body react to her being so close, loving the glare that pierced his soul.

He couldn't believe how much he hated her in that moment.

Not because she was rebelling against him. Not because of her stubborn and uncooperative personality. Not even because she had left him a broken shell of a man so many years ago.

No, he hated her because of how Goddamned sexy she was in that moment, with her violet eyes ablaze with so much passion and fire, her lips puckered slightly, and the way her body meshed perfectly against his showing no form of resistance. He grinded his teeth and hated the way his body reacted to her and only her, and he hated how badly he wanted to take her right then and there.

She remained completely still, but kept him transfixed with those powerful eyes of her.

It was when she widened them in surprise that the spell was broken.

He didn't know how long they had been staring into each others eyes, but when he found himself aware again, he could hear the screaming of the wind and the rattling of the glass doors. Before he could even look over his shoulder to see what had surprised her, she had grabbed onto him tightly and pushed themselves over the railing to the old, wooden floor below, just as a rather large tree branch crashed through the window, spraying glass and debris and snow everywhere.

Kyohei didn't think about the way he clutched Sunako closer, shielding her head with his arms and chest. He only thought about just how fucking painful the wooden floor had been just before it gave way once again, sending the two toppling into the freezing, wet underworld below the mansion.


	7. Not Again

A/N: Sorry about the wait, guys. I've been having technical and physical issues lately, involving a computer that refuses to work for me, and a sprained knee. But here it is! Enjoy!

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A shudder wracked his body.

Where was the fire? Had it gone out again?

And where the hell was that blanket he was supposed to be snuggling under?

Water dripped from somewhere in the distance and the warmth in his arms began to move, and Kyohei suddenly remembered.

God, his head hurt.

Sunako's eyes widened as she sat up, looking at Kyohei's pained face as he stared up at her.

"You okay?" He asked finally. After a short moment, she nodded her head and helped him sit up.

"You didn't have to do that." She said. Kyohei rubbed at his sore head, raising a brow.

"Do what?"

"Protect me like that." She said, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around herself. She didn't look at him. "I'd have been fine."

"You'd have a concussion." Kyohei stated bluntly. Sunako glared at him, finally.

"Like the one you probably have?" She snapped.

Silence returned, painfully and colder than the frozen basement they sat in. Sunako stared at Kyohei, uncomprehendingly for the longest time, trying to understand the man. He only stared blankly ahead, rubbing at his noggin and neck. There was a bit of blood on his back and dripping down his neck from wooden shards. She reached towards him, hesitantly, touching the back of his head, feeling the bit of blood that matted into his hair.

"Does it hurt?" She asked quietly. He jolted away from her, the fire returning to his eyes.

"Don't fucking touch me!" He exclaimed. Sunako lowered her hand, the emotionless gaze returning to her face.

"Fine." She said.

They stared at each other for another moment before a breeze wafted through and chilled them to the bones. They shuddered, holding themselves, seeking what bit of warmth they could find in their damped clothes. The seriousness of their situation finally reached their minds and they stood up.

"God, not down here again…" Kyohei murmured. "There's got to be a way out of here."

Sunako looked up at the hole in the ceiling, too high for her to climb.

"I think that is our only way out…" She said. Frustrated, he punched the stone wall, swearing.

"How'd we get out of here last time, again?" He asked.

"That time, it was a rain storm, so it wasn't frozen; just flooded, remember?" Sunako explained. "This time, though…"

She winced, looking at the ice-coated floors and walls, shivering again.

"I think we're really stuck…" She said.

"Fuck this! HELLO?" Kyohei shouted up into the hole. "Is there ANYONE THERE?"

"Who would be there, stupid? Everyone left!" Sunako stated.

"We can't just stay here, we'll die." Kyohei said, taking off down the hall. Shivering, Sunako rushed after him only to stop. Kyohei hesitated. "You don't think Naisha's still down here, do you?"

Sunako blinked, surprised at the question.

"Who?" She asked.

"That ghost that possessed you before." He said. Sunako's eyes widened.

"Oh, yeah! I don't know, she's been down here for so long now, I don't see why she wouldn't be." She said. She blinked. "How'd you even remember that? That was six or seven years ago."

"I remember everything about you." Kyohei responded simply, surprising Sunako further.

"Everything? You mean, up until I left." She said. It wasn't so much a question. She already knew the answer. He didn't respond or look her way. He began to walk again, but she caught him by the arm. "Why do you remember so much about me?"

Kyohei glared at her and pulled his arm away.

"None of your fucking business, bitch." He said. Sunako growled.

"Would you just stop it?" She shouted. "I've had it with this attitude! There's no excuse for it!"

"No excuse?" Kyohei said, his voice low; dangerous. He began to walk towards her, slowly. She glared at him.

"No, there isn't an excuse. It's not my fault you fell apart, you don't need to take this pity party of yours out on me!" She said, moving away from him. Kyohei let out a cold laugh, moving closer to her still until her back found the icy wall.

"Not your fault, huh?" He asked, striking the wall beside her head. He loved the slight fear that lit up her eyes as she shrunk back from him. He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "Who's the one that left? Wasn't me."

Sunako's eyes widened, and she stared, appalled into his eyes.

"You didn't give me a choice! You had your chance, Takano Kyohei, and you blew it, so don't you take this out on me." She seethed.

"That didn't mean you had to leave, though, Nakahara Sunako!" Kyohei shouted, surprising her again. "You could have stayed. Things would have just gone back to the way things were, but you left anyway!"

"You're not seriously blaming me for your downfall!" She growled. "What happened to the Kyohei who didn't let women tie him down? Who didn't allow himself to fall for anyone because it was a waste of time?"

"Things change." Kyohei stated simply. The pair stared at each other for another extended moment, and Sunako felt rage fill her mind and tears flood her eyes. She shoved him away.

"You didn't love me! What was I supposed to do? Let myself be hurt again by another foolish creature who couldn't love this ugly me?" She shouted. Kyohei's eyes widened a bit. "I did what I had to do, so don't blame me! I didn't make you fall apart, you brought it all on yourself!"

"You don't honestly think you're still ugly, do you?" Kyohei asked. Sunako seemed appalled that he even had to ask.

"Are you serious?" She screeched. "Why ELSE wouldn't someone like you love someone like me? I left because I couldn't take being hurt again, simply because my looks aren't good enough. I couldn't let myself be mocked like that again! Don't you get that? I HAD to leave!"

"Sunako-"

"No!" She shouted, shoving him again. "No, forget it! You don't care at all, right? 'Cause apparently I made you into this drunk, smelly bum, so why the fuck would you care at all? You hated me from the start, and now you're blaming me for this depressive slump you've fallen into! Well, you know what? Fuck you, Takano Kyohei! I never wanted to see you again in the first place! So don't worry, I'll just go and disappear."

She turned and began to run away.

Kyohei felt his chest tighten, and it was like everything was moving in slow motion.

He could only see her retreating form, getting steadier farther and farther away.

_What are you doing, man? She's getting away!_ A voice in the back of his head shouted.

Get away? She was free to go. Not that she'd ever be his anyway, right?

_Are you really that stupid? To let her just walk out of your life a second time?_

The past five years began to replay backwards in his mind.

The reunion...

The bars he would hop back and forth to...

His ramshackled, old apartment...

The several women and men he had hurt...

Tamao and Ranmaru's wedding...

The airport, that day...

The last smile she ever gave him-

Oh, God, he couldn't breathe.

_"This can't be happening again…Not again…"_

He could feel his feet stick to the floor, but his legs inch forward.

_Go get her!_

And all at once, all of the anger that had been stored into his heart rose up into his throat and eyes, tears flowing down his cheeks.

He took off after the girl, moving faster than he ever thought he could run before. His arms encircled her and pulled her into his embrace for the first time in years.


	8. Wild Fire

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Life has been hectic and I've hardly been at home. But I haven't forgotten about you guys and you've waited long enough! So enjoy, guys!

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Silence.

Silence overtaking the icy room and flooding their hearts, not for the first time that trip. The only sound was the roaring of the wind in the distance.

But Sunako could feel it.

His heartbeat pressed against her back; his face against her neck; hot liquid dripping down her front, leaving a residual chill from the cold; those arms wrapped so tightly around her she could hardly breathe…

Sunako couldn't comprehend it for a second. She attempted to look at him from over her shoulder, but he held her too close. Either way, anger bubbled in her gut, her own tears staining her cheeks.

"W-What are you doing?" She snapped, finally. She struggled against his grip, looking to pry those arms away from her. "Let go of me, you ass hole!"

"No."

His response was so curt and biting, it surprised her for a second.

"No? Get off of me, you stupid Creature of the light!" She shouted, thrashing in his arms like a wild animal. Kyohei just held on as tightly as he could, his determination unbroken by her quest for freedom. But she wouldn't give up without a fight. "Kyohei! Let me go!"

"No!" He exclaimed, louder this time. He gripped her tighter, and she couldn't tell if it was from the cold or his emotions, but his body trembled against her. "Never…"

"Huh?" She asked, confused.

"I'm never letting you go again." He breathed. Sunako froze, eyes widening. She scowled, clinging so desperately to her cynicism and hatred like it was her only lifeline. But her flushing face told a whole different story.

"W-What are saying?" She growled. "Stop it!"

She turned in his arms, pressing her hands against his chest and pushing at him with all of her might. He wouldn't let go and he finally looked her straight in the eye. Just like that, all of her anger and determination disappeared.

Those amber-colored irises stole her breath away. They were blotched red from tears and the general lack of sleep, but they were the same eyes from before, back when they were just kids living in the same house. Hard and powerful and passionate and flooded with so much emotion, she couldn't stand it.

"I'm never letting you go again." He said again, never breaking that eye contact. Her heart skipped a beat and she looked away, unable to handle the full-force of the Creature's beauty. Her mouth struggled to form words, but nothing would come out. He pressed her closer to him in a proper embrace, his arm around her waist and his finger burying themselves in his hair.

"Kyohei…" Sunako breathed, unable to wrap her mind around the situation. He tightened his grip in response. She pushed against him, but not forcefully this time, so she could look into his eyes. "Kyohei, why should I stay? Give me one good reason."

His brow furrowed in confusion. At his silence, she scowled and swatted at him, though not roughly.

"Why don't you want me to go?" She asked.

Kyohei stared uncomprehendingly at her, her words echoing in his mind, as though they were from a memory…

"Please." She said, pressing herself closer, if that were possible. "Please, tell me why."

And then suddenly, he was there at the airport with her again, all those years ago. He was staring into those violet orbs again, his heart ramming painfully against his chest, and he felt the words stick in his mouth again.

"Because I…"

He couldn't breathe. Was this really his second chance? He struggled to force those words from his lips.

"I…"

Frustration began to build up in his chest.

_'God! Why can't I say it?'_ He screamed at himself. Already she seemed farther away, her eyes flooding with disappointment, and he couldn't take it.

Watching her sad eyes lower away from him, watching her walk away, watching her board the plane that would take her away from him forever…

And suddenly, it was like the world had collapsed on top of him. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, all he knew was that he was failing again.

Failing their friends, failing her, failing himself…

He couldn't take it!

"Kyohei?" Her soft whisper sent a shudder down his spine.

He clenched his fingers tighter in her hair and crashed his lips against hers; drinking in her surprise like it was an old drug he hadn't tasted in a while. His body trembled with hers, pouring all of his feelings into that one passionate, heart breaking, world shattering kiss.

Finally, after what felt like forever, they separated, and then the words fell from his mouth, like water breaking from a dam…

"I love you."

Tears soaked her cheeks, her eyes wide and filled with relief and happiness. He began to kiss ever inch of her face, each time whispering those words again and again before finally capturing her lips again.

Her arms slithered around his neck, pressing him closer. Her back found the icy wall again, but they never once broke their kiss, his hands leaving hot trails along her skin as they slid down her back and sides, then back up again to cup her cheeks, so he could kiss her deeper. They pulled away again to stare breathlessly into each others eyes, smiles creeping along their faces.

Sunako gently brushed the hair from his eyes, stroking his cheek. He gripped the hand that touched his cheek, kissing her palm.

"I love you…" He whispered again.

"I love you too." She whispered back, surprising him slightly. "I've never stopped…"

They laughed quietly, pressing their foreheads together, loving the feel of their bodies and limbs tangled together, never wanting to let go for fear that it was some kind of dream.

"And what do we have here?"

A bright light suddenly touched the pairs' faces and they winced, looking towards it. Seven figures stared down at them and relief touched their hearts. Takenaga lowered the flashlight and grinned at them, matching the grins of all of their friends.

"Takano Kyohei! What are you doing to my niece?" Miss Nakahara screeched.

"It's about damn time!" Noi shouted, pumping her fist in the air.

"What are you guys doing down there anyway?" Takenaga asked.

"Well, what does it look like they're doing, silly? They're about to make _L-O-V-E_!" Ranmaru exclaimed merrily.

"Honey, not in front of the baby!" A weak-looking Tamao said, peering up at her husband from her wheel chair. Ranmaru flushed.

"S-Sorry…"

"We hope we didn't keep you waiting for too long!" Yuki called, gripping Machiko's hand.

"Not that y'all were worried anyway!" Machiko added, winking at them.

Sunako and Kyohei appeared surprised at first, Sunako's face turning a deep shade of red in her embarrassment. She quickly looked away from her friends and there silly cat-calls, but Kyohei managed to catch her eye again, a smile lighting up his face again, for the first time in years, nearly blinding her at first.

But that was okay.

She wanted to be blinded by him, every day. They laughed quietly and kissed each other.

The storm was over and they were saved, but a wild fire was about to break loose in their hearts, and they didn't care. Sunako and Kyohei wanted nothing more than for the fire to burn forever.

And it would.

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A/N: There it is, guys! The final chapter to Things Change! Be sure to stick around for the epilogue. It'll be…steamy. ;D Hope you guys enjoyed it!


	9. Tying Up Loose Ends

A/N: Now, guys, y'all didn't think I forgot about you, did ya? :D Sorry this took forever and a day, guys. I know, I'm terrible. Life has kept me from my writing. So I wanted to reward you all for your patience with a particularly steamy epilogue that is sure to leave you satisfied. ;) I hope you all enjoy!

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"A-Ah-ACHOO!" Kyohei sneezed, groaning miserably from his spot in the hall. Sunako sniffled beside him. Both were wrapped up in blankets, faces flush from fever. Kyohei was sweating so badly, it was starting to seep through the bandages covering his head. He definitely had a concussion.

Two days had passed by in a blur, since they had been found in the icy caverns beneath the house. Since then, they had been taken to the hospital for their injuries, and now had come down with one hell of a cold.

But, on a brighter note, the skies had never been so clear, and the sun was shining, in more ways than one.

"Now, are you _sure_ you don't want me to stay and take care of you guys?" Miss Nakahara asked. Sunako gave her a weak smile, poking a thumbs up from beneath her blankets.

"Auntie, we're grown. We can handle one little co-ACHOOOO!" Sunako's small frame jolted from the sneeze. She scrubbed at her nose, sniffing. "We'll be all right. We just need some rest, and fluids. You've made us plenty of soup already."

As soon as they had uttered their first sneeze, her Auntie immediately made them a week's supply of Cambells Chicken Noodle and Chicken and Rice, after enlisting the help from Sebastian when she, mistakenly, almost destroyed the microwave by putting the can in. All Kyohei and Sunako had to do, if they wanted some soup, was heat up some and eat. Miss Nakahara smiled and shook her head.

"Fine, if you're so insistent." She said. Their friends smiled at them from where they stood.

"So you guys are really going to stay here, now?" Yuki asked. Kyohei sniffed and shrugged, appearing annoyed that they were all still here.

"Why the hell not? Better than Gramma Cougar's apartment complex." He said, scoffing. Ranmaru, Takenaga and Yuki gave him a cheeky grin.

"C'mon, Kyo-Chan, you just wanna live here so you can have Sunako-Chan all to yourself." Ranmaru cooed. Kyohei sent him a frigid glare.

"You wanna die?" Kyohei asked.

"I think he doth protest too much." Takenaga said to the others.

"Oh! I have an idea!" Yuki chimed in. "Let's all move back in! It'll be like old times!"

Kyohei was practically fuming. The group roared with laughter. Noi hugged Sunako tightly.

"I'm so glad things are back to normal. Call me, okay, Sunako-Chan? We have to hang out again soon." She said, squeezing her. Sunako spared a smile.

"Of course, Noi-Chan." She said.

"You'll have to include Tamao in those plans as well, Sunako-Chan." Ranmaru said, grinning. "She's missed you too."

The young Princess, exhausted after her ordeal, returned home with her newborn daughter, to rest. Sunako nodded in understanding.

"We'll be sure to come and visit, too." Takenaga said, taking Noi's hand.

"Unless you're really sure you don't want to live together again?" Yuki teased. Sunako spared him a smile, shivering again as she pulled her blanket tighter around her.

"Thanks, but I'm sure you and Machiko-San would much prefer each other's company." She responded, earning a blush from the couple. She peered at Takenaga. "The same goes for you two. Why have I not seen a ring yet?"

Takenaga was taken aback, face beat red, gaping at Sunako.

"I-I-I..." He stumbled. Noi pouted, staring up at him.

"Hey, that's right... Why haven't I seen a ring yet?" She asked. Shame flooded him and he retreated to the corner to sulk, earning a laugh from the group. Finally, the group filed through the door, stopping only to give last minute hugs.

"Everyone, please drive safely." Sunako said politely. Ranmaru, Yuki and Takenaga sniffed, dabbing away at their eyes.

"Amazing...truly amazing. She's become such a lady!" They said. Sunako rolled her eyes.

"Just get out already!" She shouted, annoyed. They laughed and waved as they climbed into their cars. The sounds of a helicopter whirring above caught Sunako and Kyohei's attention; a ladder being lowered down for Mine Nakahara. She turned, hugging Sunako once more, but then suddenly sent Kyohei a death glare that made his stomach do flips.

"If this boy ever hurts you, Sunako-Chan, just give me the word and I'll have have him castrated." She whispered into her niece's ear. Kyohei shivered, scowling.

"Hey, don't be so quick to doubt me, bitch!" He shouted. Miss Nakahara stepped back, cracking her knuckles, looking absolutely lethal.

"What was that...?" Her words no more than a whisper. Kyohei sniffed and looked away, flushing, elicting a laugh from the lady's lips. She climbed onto the ladder, waving to the couple. "See you both real soon!" She shouted. "Ciao!"

Sunako shook her head, closing and locking the door. Before she could turn around, however, Kyohei was behind her, his arms slinking around her hips. His breath was hot against her ear.

"I thought they'd never leave." He whispered.

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Noi stared silently out the window, her bottom lip jutted out in a pout. Sunako had been right... Takenaga and Noi had been dating for close to seven years now, and still he hadn't popped the question.

_'Does he not want to marry me?'_ She wondered, sighing a little.

"You've been sighing an awful lot." Takenaga commented. He already had a hunch as to why, and he silently cursed Sunako for opening her mouth. He reached over and took Noi's hand gently. "What's on your mind?"

Noi stared at him for a moment before pulling her hand away, huffing. She faced the window and refused to look at him.

"You should know, Takenaga-Kun," She muttered. "You were there. You heard what Sunako said."

Takenaga sighed wearily, focusing on the road. Silence was their only companion for a long moment.

"Do you...not _want_ to marry me?" She asked, finally, a sadness in her voice. Takenaga felt a pit form in his stomach as he stared at her out of the corner of his eye. His face grew a deep shade of red. Suddenly, he pulled the car over and parked, much to Noi's confusion. He took a deep breath to steady himself, feeling his hands shaking on the steering wheel.

"Takenaga?" She asked, brow raised. Finally, he reached over her to tug open the glove box. A tiny, velvet black box sat on top of a bunch of papers. Noi blinked uncomprehendingly, peering at Takenaga. His face was so red, she wondered if he was catching a fever now. He nodded towards the glove box, but didn't utter a word.

With trembling fingers, she slowly reached out to take the tiny black box. She looked at Takenaga again, hoping to meet his eye, but he didn't look up from the steering wheel. She took a breath and slowly opened the box...

...Only to cover her mouth in surprise, tears in her eyes. It was a beautiful ring, encrusted with diamonds and gemstones, centered on a white gold base.

"I've been wanting to ask you for a while." He finally breathed. "I just...wanted to wait for the right moment. I just..."

He paused for a moment to lick his lips. He looked at her with eyes so full of love it just about took her breath away.

"Noi, will you marry me?"

The girl broke into tears, leaping out of her seat to wrap her arms tightly around Takenaga's neck.

"Yes! A million times yes!" She shouted, and Takenaga laughed, feeling an immense weight leave his chest. He kissed her then, all of his happiness and love pouring into that one mind blowing, earth-shattering, heart stopping kiss; and not for the first time, they never wished to part from each other, knowing now they never really will.

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A small shiver raced up her spine as he turned her around, his lips crashing against hers. She kissed him back, moaning a little as he nipped at her lips. He moved to start kissing her neck, but hesitated, turning his head away just in time to sneeze into his shoulder. Sunako smiled at him.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, right now?" She asked. "We _are_ still sick, you know."

As if to prove her point, she coughed into her blanket, wheezing a little. Kyohei scowled, pinning her hands up against the door.

"You think I care about that?" He asked, staring into her eyes with an intensity that made her feel hot. "I've waited too damn long for this; cold or not, you won't escape me _that_ easily."

He captured her lips again, pressing his body against hers. She moaned in response, giving into him willingly. He released her hands, trailing his fingers along her arms, sides, hips, before he finally gripped her ass, pushing her tighter against him. He broke the kiss, only for a moment, to cough off to the side. He slide a hand back up to dig his fingers into her hair, tugging her head back so he could kiss and bite the creamy skin that was revealed. Sunako's eyes fluttered shut and she felt like putty in his arms, her hands gripping his shirt tightly. Finally, he pulled away to stare at her, revelling in her beauty. Her lips were puckered slightly, and red from the fierceness of their kissing. Her cheeks were flushed the most adorable shade of blood red. She stared up at him with a look mixed with passion, lust, and a touch of fear. He could tell with just one stare.

It was still her first time.

He kissed her again, more gently this time, before suddenly scooping her up into his arms. She gasped in surprise, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smirked at her, amused by her reaction, and she scowled, swatting at him.

"I can walk, you know." She muttered, sniffling. He groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, would you just shut up already? I'm trying to be romantic, or something." He said, walking down the hall to the bedrooms. "Girls like that shit, right?"

"Have I ever been like other girls?" Sunako asked, nipping at his neck before soothing the spot with her tongue. He shuddered and smirked.

"Point taken." He placed her back on the ground, pressing her into his bedroom door. He kissed her feverishly again, gripping her hips and thighs while she fiddled with the door knob. They stumbled into the room and immediately Kyohei pulled her shirt off her slightly damp body. She blushed deeply, but returned the favor by pulling away his own shirt, trailing her nails down his chest. He groaned, loving the way she touched him.

Her bra was gone not a minute later, and they fell against the bed, lips still locked. Kyohei broke away for a moment to look down at the young woman, stricken by her loveliness. Sunako blushed deeply, looking away.

"What?" She asked, agitated. "I know I'm not much to look at, can we just-"

She gasped as he took one of her nipples in between his teeth and bit down lightly.

"I never want to hear you say that again." He said, tracing the reddening nub with his tongue to soothe it. "You are beautiful."

She scoffed a little, moaning and arching her back as he cupped her neglected breast, flicking the other with his tongue.

"If you say so- Ah!" She gasped as he bit at the neglected one.

"Admit you're beautiful." He said. She blinked, confused, peering down at him.

"W-what?" She asked. He stared up at her, twisting her nipples between his fingers, causing her to squirm. He pushed himself up to suck and nip at her neck again.

"You heard me." He breathed against her ear, biting her lobe. She moaned.

"I'm...not going to l-lie..." She murmured. Kyohei growled, his hand suddenly slipping underneath her sweatpants and soaked panties, taking her clit between his fingers. She moaned again, louder this time, arching her back and gasping for air.

"Admit it, Sunako." He said, using his free hand to pull away her sweats and panties. His stare was so intense, Sunako felt like she might explode then and there.

"N-never." She said, stubbornly. He glowered at her, gripping her thighs and pulling her legs apart. She blushed crimson. "N-no, don't look- Aahn!"

His tongue flicked out and caught her clit, stroking it roughly. She gripped at the bedsheets, moaning desperately as he thrusted his tongue deep within her.

Kami, she was delicious...

He groaned a little just from the taste, relishing her little cries.

"Admit it!" He said, nipping at her abused nub. She moaned again and shook her head, finding any and all words to be stuck in her throat. Three fingers thrusted into her, then, pumping slowly at first, but then gradually starting to pick up speed. Sunako groped aimlessly at the bedsheets and at his hair, his tongue flicking out in rhythm with his fingers. She bit at her lip, trying and failing to stifle her moans; she was so close.

"Admit it, now!" He demanded again, nipping at her clit. Then suddenly, she felt like a tidal wave had crashed over her, sending shivers down from between her legs, down to her toes, and she cried out in pure bliss.

"I'm beautiful!" She finally exclaimed, breathlessly. She collapsed back onto the bed, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She watched him as Kyohei sat up, licking his fingers. She shuddered at the sight, and at his smirk.

"That's better." He said, capturing her lips again. He dug around sightlessly in his nightstand, producing a condom. His pants were gone a second later, and he sat up to rip the condom out of its packet. But before he could do anything, Sunako stopped him. Her face was so red, and her eyes were so wide, that he was surprised she hadn't broken out into a nosebleed. She took the condom from him with shaking fingers, then slowly slipped the condom down over his cock, elicting a groan from the man.

He watched her eagerly as she gripped his in her hands, looking up at him shyly. She was so cute, he couldn't help but smile. He kissed her deeply, positioning himself at her entrance. They broke apart to stare at each other, her eyes filled with nervousness. He kissed her again.

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle." He whispered. "I love you."

And like that, all of her fear melted away and she smiled, wrapping her legs around his hips.

"I love you too." She said, pulling him back in for a kiss. He groaned as he pushed into her, slowly, her barriers crumpling as he did. She gasped and bit his lip in response, gripping him tighter. He froze for a moment, unsure of how badly it had hurt, only to moan as she ground up against him.

"Sunako..." He hissed, pushing in and out of her. They picked up a rhythm, kissing and groping at each other. Eventually, he started to move faster, taking her hands into his and gripping them tightly, completely blinded by pleasure. "Oh, Kami, Sunako..."

"Kyohei..." She moaned desperately in response, tossing her head back and forth, back arching off the bed. He bit at her neck, bucking harder and faster, until suddenly those waves were crashing on them again, pleasure racking through them rough enough to make them shudder against each other.

Kyohei collapsed on top of her, breathless. She draped her arms around him in response, weariness tugging at her eyelids. It took a moment for him to roll off of her. He grabbed a tissue and disposed of the used condom before falling back down beside her. Amber eyes met violet ones, and they smiled at each other. He pulled her close, then, kissing her head, pulling the covers around them, completely content with just laying with each other.

They didn't even remember their colds.

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THE END.

This was a really fun story to write. My only regret is how long it took me to finish it up. *Is ashamed* Still, I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Your support meant the world to me! Thank you all!

- ACH


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